Creative Block? Try Something Different

Typically I'm too lazy to go outside to photograph the night sky.

I missed the Perseid meteor shower on Thursday night. So, last night, I decided to give night photography a try for the first time. These two shots were taken around 1:30 am. Though I did see (and catch) a few meteors, I didn't see any "showers." But, then again, I only lasted about 15 minutes (and about 10 shots) before I returned to bed.The light on the horizon behind the barn is not the sunrise, it is the light noise from the Beulah coal plant, about 40 miles as the crow flies. Looking north and east.

The Barn

My suffering of Creative Affective Disorder.

So, another reason that I decided to get my rear-end out of bed in the wee hours this morning is because I have been suffering from creative depression blues. Have you ever hit a plateau, whether it is in weight loss or business or whatever, and you wonder "Why bother?" And then the "why bother" attitude wraps you into a vicious mental circle that keeps dragging you down, down, and down?Well, the last few months, I have been neck deep in a creative bog. And, like many of you, I am my worst enemy. I was stuck. I was depressed. But, I know it is up to me to help myself and exert the change to feel better and balanced.

One way, I have found, to climb out of a slump is to try something different. It can be to drive a different route, try a different food, or attempt a different creative craft.

Doesn't take much, just a tiny bit of effort.

Willpower, my friend. Willpower is the key to make that change.

The perseid meteor shower

What could I do that is different? I decided to try my hand at night photography. Not because I fancy myself to become a star photographer. No, it was something I had never tried before and it intimidated me.My night sky pictures are nothing special if I were to compare them to other night pictures. (And, we all know where comparison will lead, so don't go there.) But, what has got me all charged up this morning is my sheer willpower to get out of my comfy bed, set up my camera, and stand patiently in the dark with my camera. This morning, I'm super tired, but oh so satisfied. Little tiny steps.

Willpower.

It's what charges the spark in your creative plug. I hope I can pass that charge on to you today.